Berth for sleeping-cars



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. H. BEOKLBY & A. KIM'MEY.

BERTH FOR SLEEPING CARS. No. 392,842. Patented Nov. 13, 1888.

a?! red i 'm WITNESSES, f v yvm "1: ttorngy N PETERS. Pholo-Lithagnpher. Washington. D. C.

(No Model.) I 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. H. BEGKLEY & A. KIMMEY.

BERTH FOR SLEEPING (mas. No. 392,842. Patented Nov. 13,1888.

fkwz y N- PETERS, PhoIM-ilhognphar. Washington. D. C-

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PATENT BERTH FOR SLEEPING-CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,842, dated November 13, 1888.

Application filed September 6, 1888. Serial No 284,G86. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN H. BEOKLEY and ALFRED KIMMEY, citizens of the United States of America, residing at Wilmington, in the county of New Castle and State of Delaware, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Berths for SleepingOars; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which forma part of this specification.

Ourinvention relates to certain new and useful improvements in berths for railway-cars.

The object of our invention is to provide berths which can be folded to occupy but little space in the car, and when let down will be supported from the upper portion of the car; and our invention consists in the special construction, combination, and arrangement of the parts,as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and specifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, 'Figure 1 is a front view showing the berths lowered. Fig. 2 is a sectional view. Fig. 3 is a sectional view showing the berths folded. Fig. 4. is a detail perspective view.

A refers to the car-body, which is provided at its upper portion with a compartment, B, located between the main portion of the roof and side of the car, of sufficient size to receive the berths when folded.

Along the upper portion of the car extends adepending ornamental strip, 0, with which catches attached to an. ornamental panel, D, engage. This ornamental panel is hinged to a longitudinal strip, 0, which extends along the inner side of the car above the windows.

- The panel or strip D, the under side of which when folded is suitably ornamented, is provided at its edge (I with ordinary hinges,d d, which secure the same to the strip 0, and on its opposite edge are secured hinges e and c, the hinges e securing thereto a bed-bottom frame, E, which carries a suitable bottom of either textile fabric, metal, or slats, as may be desired, this bed-bottom frame being made as light as possible compatible with strength. At the ends this bed-bottom frame E has secured thereto, by hinges f f, folding head and foot boards F and F,which-are adapted to be turned upward upon the hinges, and may be held in a vertical position either by catches or leaning against the jointed connections 9 g, which are secured to the outer edge of the bed-bottom and near the upper edge of the panel, as shown. The lower berth is suspended from the panel D by the hinges e e, which are provided with long connecting leaves 6 these connecting leaves 6 being of a length twice the thickness of the bed-bottom. The lower ends of the hinges e are connected to the board D, and the lower berth is constructed substantially the same as the upper one heretofore described.

The head and foot boards of thclower berth are straight at their free ends,while the corresponding boards of the upper berth are beveled, so that when raised they will better occupy the space previously occupied by the berth when folded.

To the inner side of the longitudinal strip 0 are secured cyebolts which support a rod or rods which carry curtains G G, these curtains being of sufficient length to extend below the bed-frame of the upper berth,and to the outer edge of the bed-frame E of the upper berth are also placed eyes which support the curtains G for covering the front of the lower berth.

When it is desired to lower the berths, the catch 2' is thrown out of engagement with the strip O,which allows the berths to swing upon the hinges d d,so that the panelD will assume a vertical position. The hinges e,having long connecting leaves 6 will then unfold, so that the board D will also be in a vertical position. The bed-frames are then folded outwardly and the head and foot-boards raised. The bed-frames E are of sufficient depth to re ceive mattresses. By this construction it will be observed that the berths are of the same size, and that the panel D and board D will cover the car-windows to insure privacy from without, and that as the berths are located entirely beneath the side roofs of the car they are not troubled by cinders.

As the head and foot boards F and F of the upper berth abut against the rail or longitudinal strip 0, the berths will be prevented from swinginguponthe hinges. Tofurthersupport the berths when lowered, a cable or chain, 13, is employed, being secured at its upper end to the frame-work of the ear and at its lower end to eyes 0 secured to outside rail of bedframe E.

We are aware that prior to our invention sleeping-berths for cars have been provided which are adapted to fold up and be secured to the upper portion of the car, and we do not claim such construction, broadly, as our upper edge, and the sectional hinged end braces arranged at an incline and hinged at their upper ends to the upper part of the ends of the back panel and at their lower ends to outer parts of the ends of the bed-frame, substantially as described. 7

2. In a folding berth for cars and analogous purposes, the combination of a bed-frame, inwardly-folding head and foot boards hinged to the ends thereof, a back panel hinged to the rear of said bed-frame at its lower edge and to the top part of the inside of the car at its upper edge, the sectional hinged end braces arranged at an incline and hinged at their upper ends to the upper part of the ends of the back panel and at their lower ends to the outer part of the ends of the bed-frame, and the extension-straps 6, depending from the pintles of the outside hinges between the upper bed-frame and panel and attached at their lower ends to a back panel of a lower bedframe of similar construction, substantially as described.

3. In a berth for cars and analogous pur poses, an upper and lower bed'frame hinged to back panels, and having inwardly-folding end and foot boards acting as supports between said berths when raised, end inclined folding braces for each berth, extensionstraps 6 connecting the berths,and individual curtains for each berth, substantially as described.

4-. The combination, with the upper berth having hinges 0, connecting the bed-frame and back panel, of depending extensionstraps 6 connected to the pintles of said hinges and to the back panel of a lower berth, substantially as described.

In testiinony'whereof we allix our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN H. BEGKLEY. ALFRED KTMMEY.

\Vitnesses:

\V. S. HERRICK, ll. 1?. BowERs. 

